THE FEROCIOUS STORMS THAT POUNDED WEST VIRGINIANS IN EARLY MAY SURPRISED EVERYONE BECAUSE THIS TIME THEY CAME WITH UNUSUALLY HEAVY MUD SLIDES, TOO.   PEOPLE HERE ARE USED TO FLOODS BUT THIS COMBINATION WAS HARD TO TAKE. 

AT GOVERNOR MANCHIN'S REQUEST, PRESIDENT OBAMA DECLARED ELEVEN COUNTIES ELIGIBLE FOR DISASTER FUNDS.  THE RED CROSS RUSHED IN TO HELP, ALONG WITH AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS, INCLUDING PRIVATE AND FAITH-BASED GROUPS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. YOUNG AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS JOINED WITH THEM, HELPING 'MUCK OUT' THE COUNTIES THAT WERE COVERED WITH MUD. THEY WORKED ON HOMES, SCHOOLS, ROADS. 

FEMA RENTED A WAREHOUSE TO RECEIVE THE THOUSANDS OF GOODS GENEROUS WEST VIRGINIANS ARE DONATING.  AND THE WEST VIRGINIA VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION ACTIVE IN DISASTERS SET UP A 'ONE CLICK' LINK FOR PEOPLE TO FIND OUT HOW TO GIVE. THE LINK IS  W-V-V-O-A-D DOT O-R-G.   YOU CAN ALSO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME, BECAUSE THERE IS STILL SO MUCH TO DO.  

THE HARDEST HIT COUNTIES WERE MCDOWELL, MINGO, RALEIGH AND WYOMING.

NOW HERE IS WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THE DISASTER DECLARATION ON MAY 15TH:

    * $10 MILLION APPROVED FOR INDIVIDUALS
    * $8 MILLION IN THE HANDS OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE
    * $2 MILLION APPROVED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS
    * SIX DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS TO HELP SURVIVORS WITH QUESTIONS ON HOW TO REGISTER AND GET OTHER SERVICES
    * 2000 VISITORS TO THOSE CENTERS
    * 4000 CALLS TO FEMA???S TELEREGISTRATION HOTLINE
    * 120 FAMILIES BEING CONSIDERED FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING IN FEMA HOUSING UNITS. THE FIRST HOMES WILL BE BROUGHT INTO MINGO COUNTY
    * 11 COUNTIES ELIGIBLE FOR HELP WITH REPAIRS TO ROADS, BRIDGES AND OTHER PUBLIC STRUCTURES.

 

A SURVEY OF VISITORS TO THE RECOVERY CENTERS FOUND THAT 85 PERCENT OF THOSE INTERVIEWED WERE VERY HAPPY WITH THE HELP THEY RECEIVED FROM VOLUNTEERS AND FEMA STAFF. WE THINK THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.